Friction shock-absorbing mechanism



w l OFICE.

JOHN F. OCNNR, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM H. MINER, 0F NEW YORK. y

FRICTION SHOCK-ABSORBING MECHANISM.

Application filed April 27, 1918.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. OCoNNoR, a citizen of the United States, residing at hicago, in the county of Cook and State of lllinois, have invented a certain new and useful llmprovemenrt in Friction Shock-Absorbing Mechanism, of which the :following isa full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specilication.

This invention relates'to improvementsl in friction shock absorbing mechanism.

The object of the invention is to provide a friction shock absorbing mechanism and one more particularly adapted for railway draft riggings, wherein may be employed a much cheaper friction shell than now ordinarily used;

ln the drawing forming part of this speciication, Figure 1 is a vertical, central, longitudinal, sectional view of a portion of a railway car showing my improvements employed in'connection with the draft rigging thereof. Fig. 2 is a horizontal, sectional view, taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical, transverse, sec.-

tional view, taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective of the plate employed in connection with the friction shell. And Fig. 5 is a detail perspective of one of the friction shoes employed.

ln said drawing, 10-10 denote channelshaped center or draft sills of a railway car to the inner faces of which are secured rear stop lugs 11 and front stop lugs 12. The draw bar is designated at 13 and is shown as detachably connected by a coupler key 14 to a yoke 15-15. The improved friction gear proper is disposed between the stop lugs and is formed as hereinafter described. A front follower 16 is employed, the saine being disposed between the draw bar butt and the friction elements.

The improved friction gear proper, as shown, consists, broadly, of a plate A, a pair of friction shoes B-B, outer wedge C, inner wedge D, double coiled spring E, and bolts F--F.

The plate A may be of any suitable material, preferably of steel, a flat plate of suitable length and Width being taken and bent into U-shape, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. 'lhe plate as thus bent comprises an upper horizontal arm 17, lower arm 18, and rear Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 13, 1919.

Serial No. 231,103.

.the arms 17' or 18 ofthe friction shell. Each 0f the shoes B is provided with a series of longitudinally extending slots 22-22 to accommodate the bolts F and permit the longitudinal movement of the shoes relatively to saidbolts and shell. The shoes B are provided with wedge faces 23 and 24 at their front and rear ends, respectively, to

cooperate with the corresponding front andv rear wedges C-llt The rear wedge D has a central stud 25 over which is placed the forward ends of the two coils of the main spring E, said springgE bearing at its front end against the wedge D and at its rear end against the transverse connecting wall 19 of the plate shell. y

The yoke 1515a consists of two side links, each of which is preferably in the form of a strap or plate doubled over on itself at its forward end, as indicated at 26 and similarly doubled over at its rear en d, as indicated at 27. The yoke elements `15--15a are suitably slotted at their forward ends, as indicated at 28, to accommodate the coupler key and permit rearward movement of the latter with the draw bar independently of the yoke.

In order to accommodate the yoke members 15--15a and bring the same as near the center line of the gear as possible so as to reduce bending strains on the coupler key and on the rear wall 19 of the plate shell, the said rear wall 19 is recessed on each side, as indicated at 29, t0 'thereby bring the yoke members 15-15a as close together as permitted by the diameter of the spring E. Said' yoke members are held against lateral separation at their rear ends by a transverse connecting bolt 30 and the inturned or doubled-over ends are utilized as shoulders against the rear wall 19 of the shell A, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The front fol.-

lower 16 is similarly recessed on its sides, as indicated at 31, to accommodate the yoke members 15-151.

The Wedges C and D areof such transverse dimension as to be confined between the yoke members 15-15a but the friction shoes B are preferably extended at their sides, as indicated at 32-32, over the yoke members 15-152. In this manner, I obtain a larger frictional wearing area between the shoes and' the shell as Well as spreading the expanding forces over a larger area of the arms of the plate shell A.

The parts may be supported in any suitable manner as by the detachable saddle plate 33, which is bolted to the lower flanges of the draft sill. It is believed theoperation will be'understood `by those skilled in the art without a detailed description thereof.

With the arrangement herein shown and described, it is evident that the friction shell can be manufactured at comparatively small expense and at obviously less expense than the usual malleable iron friction shell now commonly used. Furthermore, I ain enabled to obtain a large frictional Wearing area between the shoes and shell to thereby promote the life of the gear and the friction elements are of such design that they can be comparatively cheaply manufactured. of whiterand gray iron. The yoke member is also of comparatively cheap design and may be readily manufactured 'by simple bending and cutting operations from plate steel or other suitable plate metal.

I claim:

l. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a friction shell comprising a plate bentto U-shape and having the free ends thereof prevented from spreading by connecting means extending therebetween, of friction shoes slidable on the inner faces of said free ends,.wedge means co-acting with said Shoes, and spring means arranged to resist relative movement between the friction elelnents and the shell.

2. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a friction shell comprising a plate bent to U-shape and a plurality of bolts extending between the free ends thereof to prevent spreading of said ends, of friction shoes coperating with the inner faces of said free ends of the shell, wedge means co-acting with the friction shoes, and spring means arranged to resist relative movement of the friction elements and shell.

3. As `an article of manufacture, a friction shell for shock absorbing mechanisms, said shell comprising a plate bent to U-shape and a plurality of rod-like retaining elements extending between and connecting the free ends of said plate to prevent spreading of the latter.

4. As an article of manufacture, a friction shell for shock absorbing mechanisms, said shell including a pair of spaced, parallel plate portions the interior surfaces of which form friction surfaces, a plurality of connecting means extending from one plate portion to the other within the limits of said friction surfaces to thereby prevent spreading of said plate portions, said plate portions being united rearwardly of their friction surface portions.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 12th day of April, 1918.

JOHN F. OCONNOR. 

